--- title: "Taking a Step Forward with Ekso NR™ | Sutter Health" description: "When Robert’s legs began to feel weak due to Miller Fisher syndrome, he turned to the Sutter Rehabilitation Institute." url: "https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories/taking-a-step-forward-with-ekso-nr-1042868356" --- 1. [Home](https://www.sutterhealth.org/) / 2. [Patient Stories](https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories) / 3. Taking a Step Forward with Ekso NR™ # Taking a Step Forward with Ekso NR™ * * * 2021 When Robert’s legs began to feel weak due to Miller Fisher syndrome, he turned to the Sutter Rehabilitation Institute. There, he was introduced to the [Ekso NR™ robotic exoskeleton](https://bcove.video/3BZYZi5) , which helped him get back on his feet and to his family quicker. ## Discover similar stories Choose a service topic below to read more stories like this one. [Physical therapy and rehabilitation](https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories?verticalKey=patient_story&facets=%5B%7B%22i%22%3A%22c_services.name%22%2C%22v%22%3A%5B%22Physical+therapy+and+rehabilitation%22%5D%7D%5D)[Spinal cord injury rehabilitation](https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories?verticalKey=patient_story&facets=%5B%7B%22i%22%3A%22c_services.name%22%2C%22v%22%3A%5B%22Spinal+cord+injury+rehabilitation%22%5D%7D%5D)[Orthopedics](https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories?verticalKey=patient_story&facets=%5B%7B%22i%22%3A%22c_services.name%22%2C%22v%22%3A%5B%22Orthopedics%22%5D%7D%5D) ## Move Better, Live Better Whether it’s a new injury or long-term pain, our orthopedic teams are here to help you heal and get back to the life you love. [Request a Referral](https://www.sutterhealth.org/referrals) ## Related articles [View all articles](https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories) - Patient story ### [Finding Strength After a Spinal Injury](https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories/finding-strength-after-a-spinal-injury-1042868366) After becoming paralyzed due to a car accident, Jimi enrolled with the Sutter Rehabilitation Institute. - Patient story ### [Two Torn ACLs Won’t Keep Teen From Her Sports Dream](https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories/two-torn-acls-wont-keep-teen-from-her-sports-dream-2023563870) After two successful procedures performed by Dr. Richard Gayle, Alessandra Montes is ready to compete again. - Patient story ### [Advanced Orthopedic Surgery Transforms Lives](https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories/advanced-orthopedic-surgery-transforms-lives-1042868388) New MAKOplasty orthopedic surgery system funded by donors helps to advance care. [View all articles](https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories) ## Disclaimer _Each individual’s treatment and/or results may vary based upon circumstances and the healthcare provider’s medical judgment. Testimonials or statements made by any person(s) within this site are not intended to guarantee outcomes or substitute for medical advice._ ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Sutter Health","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org","logo":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/static/images/sutter-health-logo.svg","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"2200 River Plaza Drive","addressLocality":"Sacramento","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"95833","addressCountry":"US"},"areaServed":{"@type":"AdministrativeArea","name":"California"},"sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/SutterHealth","https://www.instagram.com/sutterhealth/","https://x.com/SutterHealth","https://www.youtube.com/sutterhealth","https://www.linkedin.com/company/sutter-health","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutter_Health"]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories/taking-a-step-forward-with-ekso-nr-1042868356#breadcrumblist","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Patient Stories","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Taking a Step Forward with Ekso NR™"}]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories/taking-a-step-forward-with-ekso-nr-1042868356#videoobject","name":"Robert’s Story – Taking a Step Forward With Ekso NR™","inLanguage":"en-US","thumbnailUrl":"https://cf-images.us-east-1.prod.boltdns.net/v1/static/817826402001/c8b8dbbb-cb55-4fa6-89ec-d4015cee0769/53d2349f-9f34-4ced-ad66-a39968a1e4f7/1280x720/match/image.jpg","uploadDate":"2021-10-20T00:04:17.562Z","embedUrl":"https://players.brightcove.net/817826402001/79bcaa57-54d7-453c-9f1f-8ab3ef7b15de/index.html?videoId=6277729500001","description":"When Robert’s legs began to feel weak due to Miller Fisher syndrome, he turned to the Sutter Rehabilitation Institute. There, he was introduced to the Ekso NR™ robotic exoskeleton, which helped him get back on his feet and to his family quicker. ","duration":"PT3M48S","transcript":"ROBERT: What's life about?\nReally just raising my daughter and teaching\nher to be a good person.\nWe play good together, and since I've\nbeen the stay at home father, we just have a great connection.\nShe's my little best friend, and I wouldn't change any of it.\n[STRUMS]\nOK.\n[PLAYING GUITAR]\n\n(SINGING) Take a step.\nTake one more.\nKeep on walking through the door.\n(SPEAKING) It started off with weird aches and pains\nand numbness, and then I couldn't walk.\nWe had no idea what was going on.\nMy wife said, we're going to the ER.\nWhen I was in the hospital bed, wondering if I'd ever walk,\nI would say, I just want to get back to playing with my kid\nand go on a long hike, and it hit me like a ton of bricks--\nhow did I get here, and why can't I move?\n(SINGING) Things are dark, and you're so far down.\n(SPEAKING) I didn't know what was happening.\nI didn't know if I'd walk again.\nIt was really scary.\n(SINGING) What was lost can't always be found.\n(SPEAKING) I got a positive result\nfor the variant of the Guillain-Barre,\ncalled Miller Fisher syndrome.\nIt's an autoimmune disease where the body gets confused\nand shreds the nerves.\nI got into Sutter Rehabilitation Institute.\nPACITO YABES, MD: Robert's condition on day one,\nhe is requiring assistance.\nYou are physically helping him to even get up,\nbecause of the weak legs.\nLAUREN: He had some pretty significant weakness,\nparticularly in his lower extremities, but even more so,\nsome pretty significant sensory deficits,\nso he didn't know where his legs were in space.\nHe didn't know if they were on the ground.\nBut I told him to be optimistic and hopeful.\nI think that he has the ability to get stronger and get back\nto normal.\n\nROBERT: Measured me and put me in the Ekso.\n[MUSIC PLAYING]\n\nIt's an amazing technology.\nYou don't really think about how to take a step.\nYou just-- you just do it.\nThe Ekso breaks down those movements into separate parts.\nI thought it helped a lot with my recovery.\nLAUREN: The biggest benefit to Ekso\nis that it gets people up standing quicker and walking\nfor longer periods of time.\nLearning what a perfect step is even when you can't feel it.\nI mean, it is priceless.\nPACITO YABES, MD: Ekso will provide that muscle movement\nagain.\nIt helps build up their strength.\nIt helps provide that connectivity to that brain\nagain, so that they can make that normal movement when\nthey make a step.\nIt gives you that confidence to be able to move.\nSutler Rehabilitation Institute has\nhelped thousands of patients, not just\nfrom the Guillain-Barre, but we have\ntaken care of stroke patients, traumatic brain injuries,\nand spinal cord injuries.\nWe have an awesome staff.\nEverybody has the same goal, to help our patients.\nROBERT: The therapy staff were just great.\nThey seem to really care about the people they work with.\n[MUSIC PLAYING]"} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Article","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories/taking-a-step-forward-with-ekso-nr-1042868356#article","name":"Taking a Step Forward with Ekso NR™","headline":"Taking a Step Forward with Ekso NR™","abstract":"When Robert’s legs began to feel weak due to Miller Fisher syndrome, he turned to the Sutter Rehabilitation Institute.","description":"When Robert’s legs began to feel weak due to Miller Fisher syndrome, he turned to the Sutter Rehabilitation Institute.","keywords":["Physical therapy and rehabilitation","Spinal cord injury rehabilitation","Orthopedics"],"datePublished":"2021-01-01","dateModified":"2026-08-14","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories/taking-a-step-forward-with-ekso-nr-1042868356","inLanguage":"en-US","isAccessibleForFree":true,"mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories/taking-a-step-forward-with-ekso-nr-1042868356","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories/taking-a-step-forward-with-ekso-nr-1042868356#breadcrumblist"}},"author":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization"},"publisher":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization"},"video":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories/taking-a-step-forward-with-ekso-nr-1042868356#videoobject"},"articleBody":"When Robert’s legs began to feel weak due to Miller Fisher syndrome, he turned to the Sutter Rehabilitation Institute. There, he was introduced to the Ekso NR™ robotic exoskeleton, which helped him get back on his feet and to his family quicker."} ```